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Meyers' deception could be key change of pace

The Nationals got Brad Meyers back from the Yankees, who took him in the Rule 5 draft and then returned him. Meyers pitched only one game last year after an early-season workout injury shelved his season.

Now he is good to go and is excited to be back with the Nationals' organization.

Triple-A Syracuse manager Tony Beasley had Meyers at Double-A Harrisburg a couple of years ago for a while before Meyers was called up to the Chiefs.

Beasley said Meyers doesn't have the classic, power-pitcher high-velocity stuff, but that does not mean he is not a very effective pitcher.

"I loved him," Beasley said. "Great kid, all business, kind of quiet, but they say he has that invisible pitch. It doesn't look like it is that hard, but he got a lot of swings and misses. So it is obvious he has a lot of deception. It is good to have him back. That is a guy that gives us tremendous depth. There is something to be said for that."

Comparing Meyers to former Nationals pitcher Brad Peacock, Beasley said Meyers couldn't reach the velocity Peacock was hitting, but he did get guys out.

"(Meyers) was hitting 90-91 mph, but you wouldn't see good swings. That was the year Brad Peacock and Meyers were together. You would see better swings off of Peacock's fastball and Peacock was throwing mid-90s," Beasley said.

Beasley said the Meyers-Peacock comparison reminded him of another pair of pitchers he once had who enjoyed a nice run in the majors.

"I remember when I had (former Mets and current free agent) 6-foot-10 right-hander Chris Young," Beasley recalled. "He was 89-90 mph, throwing predominantly fastballs the entire game. Hitters knew what was coming. They would swing and miss every time. It was unbelievable. It was the same thing with him and (former Pirates right-hander) Ian Snell. Snell was throwing 94-95 mph and you would see better swings off of Snell's fastball than Young's.

"I see Brad Meyers like that. He has that kind of deception."

Meyers can add depth to Syracuse and could become very valuable when the Nationals need an arm that could be a change-of-pace starter at the end of the rotation or a bullpen arm that provides unique deception.